This application claims the benefit of a priority under 35 USC 119 to French Patent Application No. 0005893 filed May 9, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a covering device comprising two preferably rigid cover elements associated respectively with a first and with a second unit having a relative mobility, the two cover elements having apertures opposite one another, and a flexible junction between the two cover elements.
The invention in addition relates to an x-ray machine comprising a digital detection system equipped with such a covering device.
An x-ray machine comprises means for emission of an x-ray beam or radiogenic unit with an x-ray tube and a means for reception of the beam, such as a solid state detector. The means for x-ray emission and the x-ray reception means are generally supported by a mobile system having one or more axes, permitting filming at a variety of incidences.
It has been found that when an x-ray detection system using digital detection technology, an adjustment of the alignment of the detector with relation to the x-ray beam is necessary. The control system used for such alignment adjustment permits, for example, a coplanar translational motion X, Y of 20 mm, and a rotational motion of 4xc2x0.
The detector properly speaking and its support are for example enclosed in two separate covers, the cover of the detector being mobile with relation to the fixed cover of the support. Since the detector is connected to its support by mechanical connecting means, electric cables, optical fibers, tubes (water, air) and similar means, the problem arises of establishing, between the two covers mobile with relation to one another, a junction that conceals the connecting means and is esthetically pleasing as well as functional, namely impervious to the spattering of liquids, and easy to clean.
In one embodiment of the invention a covering device comprises a plurality, generally two of preferably rigid cover elements associated respectively with a first and second unit having a relative mobility with respect to each other, and means for forming a junction, preferably a flexible junction, between the cover elements. The device permits simple and rapid installation and removal of one of the cover elements, installation of the latter simultaneously ensuring establishment of the junction between the cover elements.
In an embodiment of the invention an x-ray machine comprises such a covering device on its digital detection system.
The covering device according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality, generally two of preferably rigid cover elements associated respectively with a first and second unit having relative mobility with respect to each other the two cover elements having apertures opposite one another, and preferably a flexible cover element having two opposite ends connected respectively to the apertures of the two rigid cover elements in such a way that the flexible cover element establishes a means for forming a junction between the two rigid cover elements in all relative positions of the two units.
A first one of the ends of the flexible cover element is fixed directly to the aperture of a first one of the rigid cover elements associated with a first one of the units and its second end is fixed to a rigid positioning flange whose shape is adapted to the shape of the aperture of the second rigid cover element associated with the second one of the units. Means for joining cooperating with complementary means provided on the second unit for the flange positions the second end of the flexible cover element, in all relative positions of the two units, in such a way that the position of the second end corresponds to the position of the aperture of the second rigid cover element after installation of the latter on the second unit.
When the two units have a relative mobility along a first and a second orthogonal translational axis, the means for joining and the complementary means advantageously are designed in such a way as to permit, when they cooperate, mobility of the flange with relation to the second unit limited to translation along a third translational axis orthogonal to the first and second axes.
When such a covering device is used for the digital detection system of an x-ray machine, comprising a detector and a support on which the detector is mounted with a relative mobility, the first rigid cover element to which the flexible cover element is fixed directly advantageously is made up of the support of the detector, and the end of the flexible cover element to which the positioning flange is fixed cooperates with the rigid cover element associated with the detector, which permits mounting and removal of the rigid cover element of the detector in simple fashion.